The role of 'the club' in r&b/hip hop

Blackdown

nexKeysound
Obviously clubs have been lyrically part of black music for a very long time, but annecodally it feels like 'the club' has become as the definitive and central stage for establishing social status within the US hip hop/r&b community, above all others. Anyone else feel it dominating lyrics like this?
 

gumdrops

Well-known member
yeah

its been like that for about five years, at least. i hope its coming to an end now, as i dont think i can take any more songs about 'the club'.
 

gek-opel

entered apprentice
Its on been on all fronts, image, video, lyrics and production-- the whole front end of commercial hip hop is "in da club", which was great for a few years, but how many times can the same "hot club beat" and T&A vid be recycled? And, if there is to be a sea-change in emphasis, where to? Politics? Much denuded into lame and safe "conscious" hip hop. SO where then?
 

Buick6

too punk to drunk
'THE CLUB' has been EVERYTHING for URBAN type dance music since fricken disco or even the DanceHalls back in Jamaica. The paradigm is quite simple. The new 'tunes' are played in underground clubs, and the response will dictate the inevitable success - well it was once like that! But still, the big labels still pump Millions into pushing hot tracks into the clubs, before crossing over into white jock-dorms and shopping centres and boutiques. I mean you've had the jail, the ghetto, the crib, the boulevard, the stadium, where else do you wanna put it?
 

borderpolice

Well-known member
In modern RnB/HH, at least when performed by male voices, the club seem to mean rather invariably, strip club/brothel, as artdamages also points out. this is an old funk tradition (eg "Super Freak"). But this being pop music, where ambiguity is paramount, so as to appeal to as large an audience as possible, the uninitiated listener can easily slot in other interpretations of "da club".
 

Buick6

too punk to drunk
da club = where da biotches and hoes and and where mai muddafucken homies deal they shit and get paid, muddafuqqa 5000 G i kick your white faggit ass muthafukka! ;)
 

gabriel

The Heatwave
where's the evidence that the club refers to strip club/brothel? i've never come across that inference before, always just seemed obvious that 'the club' = the dancehall, the party etc ... ??
 

gumdrops

Well-known member
Buick6 said:
da club = where da biotches and hoes and and where mai muddafucken homies deal they shit and get paid, muddafuqqa 5000 G i kick your white faggit ass muthafukka! ;)

hilarious.
 
N

nomadologist

Guest
is everyone here english? the club means very literally the dance club. not a brothel. not a strip club (usually). i live in brooklyn next to the projects. i will consider myself the resident expert on this. heh.
 

borderpolice

Well-known member
nomadologist said:
is everyone here english? the club means very literally the dance club. not a brothel. not a strip club (usually).

the videos and lyrics surrounding mentionings of "da club" keep suggesting otherwise, tending to be about "the kind of girl you don't bring home to mama"!

But in pop music lyrics are usually ambigous, so as to facilitate multiple interpretations.
 
the club...

is full of s***, to be frank...imo its scenario has HELPED destroy commercial black music....for instance if your track isn't aimed at 'the club' then its not important.....
 

stelfox

Beast of Burden
this is hands-down the single worst thread i have ever seen on this board. it could actually have been good, too. i can't be arsed to contribute to it, save to ask the question: where else should club and street music be aimed at, other than clubs and streets? it's when people start aiming music at lounges and bars that it all fucks up, tactics.
 
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Jason oS

Member
borderpolice said:
the videos and lyrics surrounding mentionings of "da club" keep suggesting otherwise, tending to be about "the kind of girl you don't bring home to mama"!

nah, just the literal club im afraid... :)
 

Blackdown

nexKeysound
stelfox said:
this is hands-down the single worst thread i have ever seen on this board. it could actually have been good, too. i can't be arsed to contribute to it, save to ask the question: where else should club and street music be aimed at, other than clubs and streets? it's when people start aiming music at lounges and bars that it all fucks up, tactics.

i agree bars and lounges spell out horror, usually because it rings mediocre class bells, but returning to the core US black community if lyrics are to belived then the only place of any social standing is 'the club.' Surely the US black community, or at least those that make r&b/hip hop, are more diverse...
 

dubble-u-c

Dorkus Maximus
Blackdown said:
i agree bars and lounges spell out horror, usually because it rings mediocre class bells, but returning to the core US black community if lyrics are to belived then the only place of any social standing is 'the club.' Surely the US black community, or at least those that make r&b/hip hop, are more diverse...
Other common topics are....
The Church or going to church. The stoop, The whip The barber shop, ... It depends on what part of the U.S. the music comes from.

These are all social places or gathering points with standing in the black community.
 
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